Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-22
SALISBURY DECIDES.
HE BEGINS A MOMENTOUS STRUGGLE
WITH THE HOME RULERS.

The National League Proclaimed Under
the Grimes Act-Parneu and His Col
leagues Laugh at the Bolt Launched
at Them-The London Press Applauds-
Fitzgerald's yiews-Hiding the Papers.
LONDON, Aug 19-In the house of com.
| mons Friday evening Balfour announced the
proclamation by the government of the Irish
National league under section q of the crimes
act.
Baifour, IN announcing the proclamation of
| the National league, said the government had
| thus taken advantage of the power granted
by the crimes act TO prohibit the workings of
or to entirely suppress the league.
Harrington asked whether Balfour was
aware that nearly all of the branches of the
league were engaged in registration work;
whether he knew that the league was the
only association opposed to the Conserva-
| tfves in that work, whether the proclamation
was not intended to paralyze the efforts of
the league to the advantage of the Conserva-
tives
Baifour said that no branch of the league
whose work was confined to registration
would be interfered with
Replying to question by Sexton, Balfour
said that until the viceroy of Ireland should
issue an order regarding the particular dis
trict to be proclaimed the governments
proclamation would not be in force
The Times justifies the action of the gov
ernment in proclaiming the league, and de-
plores the secession of Russell from the
unionist party in consequence 1t hopes,
however, that Chamberlain will take occa-
sion in his speech at Birmingham to deny the
statement that be also has seeded
The Standard says it was necessary that
the Irish people should be made to know who
was master-the league or the law Hitherto,
1t says the fight has been conducted on al
most equal terms and it is now time that this
state of affairs WAS ended and that the com
batants resumed their proper pl;ft'es as Grim
inals on the one hand and officers of Justice
on the other.
The Chronicle mi dly approves the govern
ment's proclamation. 1t had hoped, it says,
that the summary operation of tue crimes
act would he sufficient, but more complete
information of the state of Ireland leads the
executive to consider that stronger measures
are necessary. The Daily Telegraph considers
the governments course eminently discreet
Had they adopted the policy of arbitrary
and total suppression of the league they
would have risked the full opposition of the
diSSidents
Parnell in an Interview Friday evening
said the action Of the government in pro-
claiming the National league was "A gratuit-
Gus insult to the people of ireland, Having
regard to the present condition of Ireland
the proclamation is merely move to cover
the weakness of the land bill. If that meas
ure does not protect tenants from evictiuns
there will inevitably be trouble during the
coming winter
William O Brien, editor of United Ireland,
said: "The proclamation of the National
league as it stands at present, will not I'M
pede the work Of the league, and regard it
as better indication of the hopeless position
OF the government than even the parliament
airy election at Northwich 1t is significant
that the league is not proclaimed under the
sections of the coercion act relating to crime
or association with crime. If they do nothing
further they will he laughed at, while if they
pursue an aggre Ssive policy they will an
tagonize public opinion in Great Britain
Whatever they may do they are powerless,
because the league means the Irish people
Thomas Sexton said: "The league Is pro
claimed under clauses which the government
would not allow to be discussed when the bill
was under consideration in the house of com
mons, and their action will have the effect of
clarifying the political atmosphere Harting-
ton will probably throw his lot with the
Conservatives, and Chamberlain may return
to the Liberal party. The government will
be answerable for destroying the leagues
power of restraint over the people if ir should
be suppressed. Ireland will receive the proc
lamation with contempt, followed by feel
ing of hope for the future"
Timothy Harrington said: 'The action of
the government is an idle display If they
go further, our men will still continue to
work"
John Dillon said: The proclamation will
not move the league hairs breadth